The song's distinctive backing vocals were performed by Lisa Keith.

In the United Kingdom, "Criticize" peaked at number four on the UK Singles Chart, becoming O'Neal's biggest hit in Britain, and in 2020 was certified Silver by the British Phonographic Industry.

In Ireland, "Criticize" peaked at number 14 on the Irish Singles Chart.

[2] The song is featured in the soundtrack of the video game Grand Theft Auto IV on the in-game radio station "The Vibe 98.8".

Alexander O’Neal re-recorded “Criticize” in 1998 with producers Errol Jones and John Girvan.